“Don’t Keep Us Out of the Revolution!”: Accessibility and Autonomous Rideshare in California

Katie L. Heuser

Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings from Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley

Abstract: Robotaxi services, or rideshare operated by autonomous vehicles, present an opportunity for independent and convenient transportation for people with disabilities. The proliferation of robotaxis in California has been met with mixed reactions from the disability community. To better understand perceptions of and expectations for robotaxis, this report uses semi-structured interviews with representatives from disability advocacy organizations. For many people with disabilities, especially for people with intellectual, developmental, and/or physical disabilities, robotaxis are inaccessible. Given the intricacies of accommodating a wide audience, not all interviewees were confident that robotaxi design and programming will be inclusive. Some interviewees trusted that autonomous vehicle companies will independently pursue accessibility features in their robotaxis. Other interviewees regarded statewide accessibility standards as essential to ensure accessibility. Overall, interviewees shared that people with disabilities want to be included in the process of designing, testing, and regulating robotaxis. Implications for accessible robotaxi governance in California is presented, with an emphasis on wheelchair access, considering impact on public transportation service, and centering people with disabilities. Interviewees also discussed ideal accommodations that would allow a broad audience to request a ride, board the robotaxi, communicate with the operation system, and exit the vehicle. These findings may be useful to AV companies as they consider how robotaxis can accommodate people with a variety of disabilities.

Keywords: Arts and Humanities; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Taxis; autonomous vehicles; persons with disabilities; interviews; human factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-05-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-tre and nep-ure
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